The White Lotus: Avatar from the Spirit World
by raja.signora
Summary: Taking place after book earth. The main character is named Lo who is a key part in helping Aang regain his Avatar State. She is 116 years old now, still in her unchanged 16 year old body and she has experienced the threat of the firenation first hand.
1. Freedom Fighters

** I do not own avatar... or anything at that matter...**

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"If your life is so complicated that you can't tell me who you are; start at the beginning," the teenager demanded pushing his hooked swords closer to my neck. I wasn't yet ready to talk, so I thought of my history, where the problems first became problems.

* * *

"_There, don't you see it?" I pleaded while grasping the stranger's collar. My knuckles were turning white as my fingers pinched the ragged cloth. The man's dull orange eyes looked straight into mine in a bewildered fashion, his hand settled loosely around my wrist._

"_Miss, there is nothing there," he tried to explain to me. He was confused; he must have seen the apparition that was attacking me. He was in shock; there would be no answer or safety from him. My fists shook before I untangled them from the hem of his shirt._

_I twirled around and sized up the beast that stood alone in the road. It was early morning and, except for the beggar I was the only one awake in this part of the city. The man must be thinking this is a dream, I justified before letting the realization settle down. This was not a dream._

_The sunrise still left long shadows and only streaks of red sunbeams managed to shoot into the sky. It was dark, the beast that had awakened me, stood unrecognizable. The creature had light blue fur, its head was shaped into a rounded triangle and its beady black eyes stared at me darkly._

"_What do you want?" I screamed in reaction to seeing knowledge flash over its pupils. My skin tingled, a mixture of surprise and shaking after the cold night. The beast ignored my question and I turned around wanting to talk to the stranger, but he had run away from what seemed my mental insanity. I wanted to relax as much as I could before the creature went rampaging after me again, that meant three seconds._

_Its vicious call rang in my ears a blue light engulfed me, but did nothing other than frighten my senses. Adrenaline kicked in, my muscles bunching together in every nook and crevice before I took off down the road as fast as the creature that remained with me every step of the way._

* * *

"It is a difficult feat to summarize 116 years," I murmured to myself, "Let alone start at the beginning."

"What did you say?" Jet spoke loudly his voice ringing in my ears like the beast's wail.

"The beg-in-n-ing?" I stuttered, my voice barley audible.

"Yes. The very beginning!"

I sought refuge in my thoughts again, my first memory replaying over in my head.

* * *

_I was five, standing before the giant pai sho table, located in the western air temple. There weren't any people there, they thought me ill with some disease since my hair had changed from black to white overnight. I held the normal version of the white lotus tile in my hand. Tears were streaming down my cheeks._

_I knew what I was, what to expect in the long future ahead of me. One of the monks entered the room. To me he was a blur of orange and yellow. I didn't move, I didn't care, I was so overwhelmed with my newfound consciousness that life seemed like destiny set in stone._

"_I suppose you are already aware, Liu," Monk Giatso fatherly placed his large hand on my shoulder._

"_I didn't know any one else knew," I said quietly._

"_There are a few alive who remember the last White Lotus. She was a difficult one to figure out, being born in the wrong nation, being born to the royalty of the Northern Water Tribe nonetheless, sometimes their line is born with white hair. So you can see the confusion in discovering his existence."_

"_Prince Taku, unlike the rest of the royal line, wasn't a stillborn who was revived by the ocean and moon spirits," I muttered, the comment left unheard._

"_Your hair changing now means that Avatar Roku has died and the new avatar has come into the world," he explained._

"_Enough," I raised my voice annoyed at his child-like approach. I knew perfectly well what was going on. He obviously did not._

_The white lotus, unlike the avatar wasn't tied down by the physical breakdown of nations. In fact the white lotus was barely even apart of that world. Our origins were that we were avatars directly from the spirit world. We were there to help the idiot real-world avatars achieve their goal or take their place if they failed. I was plan B._

_The downsides other than being plan B, I lost all bending ability._

* * *

"Lo," I muttered telling the boy my childhood name, "Call me Lo."

"Alright, Lo, might you tell us how you got down here?" He asked holding his weapons unwavering at my chin.

"You pathetic excuse for a freedom fighter, so this is their respectable leader?" I scorned him unable to hold my tongue after a century of control. I was delirious, obviously. The fire nation had just invaded Ba Sing Se, my home had been raided, I was separated from various members of my organization. I was alone, distraught and this mere teenager was threatening me even with layers of bandages strapped across his chest. He barely had the strength to hold the blade as high as my throat.

"Knock me out, torture me, just as long as I can reach the coast, buy a boat and rendezvous with the avatar."

"What relations do you have with the avatar?" Jet's voice softened into an understanding and sad tone.

_I'm his sister. Technically._

"Not so much him, but the young girl traveling with him, an earth bender," I wasn't lying completely, I had met Toph Beifong once. Rather I had seen her win the championship of the weekly fighting tournament that had become legend among the underground network of mercenaries and the sort. I knew she would be Aang's earth bending teacher. Else I assumed she would make a good one.

"The blind girl?" Jet asked trying to remember what he last remembered of the group. I nodded my head.

"I don't have a way of telling the truth from you, so, I will go with your requests, but there is one problem… smeller bee, knock her out."

* * *

And that's how I ended up in a boat in the middle of the ocean. 


	2. Sozen's Comet

**I don't own avatar... and thank you for reviews, I never knew how good it was to get feedback, bad or good. Criticism is appreciated.**

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The ocean is really decent when you look past the days upon days of being stranded and enjoy the endless view of water that you have been watching for... the past week. At night, when the stars come out in the billions I look up and wonder where my optimism comes from... when anyone else would see my life and say how horrible it has been. 

I was there when the firenation attacked the air temples. I was there when they stripped the southern water tribe of their benders. I have witnessed single handedly every horrible crime that this war has brought about. At first I was pessimistic, running around trying desperately to stay hidden and alive. Mostly I was just scared, seeing ghosts and spirits whenever something went wrong.

With the avatar sealed away in the avatar state (I can tell when he is using it) by nature I, Plan B, was given all the responsibilities. Trying to bring peace to a warring world, when you have no abilities, no experience, no help... is a little difficult. No matter how hard I tried to be the White Lotus, victory always seemed just out of reach.

* * *

_The monks locked me in a sealed room. I was in darkness for what seemed forever. There weren't even the stars to comfort me. The passing of time was measured by the steady breaths I took and the miscellaneous sounds outside the door. And there weren't any more sounds. Just the inhale, exhale and the pounding of my heart._

_If it weren't for my delirious banging on the door, I would have never gotten out of that dark room. However, if I hadn't been so furious in my screams then I would never have been captured by the firenation._

_The light was blinding. My heart which was already beating double time jumped another beat. With blood racing through my veins my eyes focused on the cloud of dust that had appeared above the rubble of the door. The soldiers stood in full uniform, except for one._

_ His hair was grey and matted with the sweat from the long work of murdering my people. I recognized him. Without memory or knowledge I knew him._

_ "Emperor Sozen."_

_ "It looks like the monks __**have**__ taken a prisoner, take her to the ship so she can be questioned," he ordered with a demanding voice. It was both alluring and frightening to hear him command his men. It was even more frightening to see those tall shadows approach and surround me._

_ Struggling or trying to escape was not only impossible, but it would make them think I was the enemy as well. I kept my mouth shut and went along with the faceless beings. Outside it was night. A bright streak of white was moving slowly across the sky. A comet. The celestial beauty was so bright it looked like a perfect version of the moon with a tail._

* * *

That image is printed so clearly in my mind I can still see it. Even on this night where there is only starlight keeping complete darkness at bay. That beauty brought much suffering, especially to me._  
_

* * *

_ "Who are you exactly," a general with gray sideburns asked. The emperor, too lazy to ask the questions himself sat off to the side writing furiously. I doubt he was taking notes on the current situation._

_ "My name is Lo," I said timidly trying to be as honest as possible while still telling the lies for the important parts._

_ "What nation are you from?"_

_ I hesitantly spoke, "Nation?"_

_ "Yes, woman, speak the truth, I haven't got all day," he said impatiently._

_ "I... I've never heard of a nation before..." I was playing the role of a long time slave._

_ "Don't play dumb with me," he said furiously and the emperor glanced up from his writing to see how I would react._

_ "Oh, sir, please, I'm not from any nation, until you gave me freedom I've never seen the sun, I... I'm actually a little disappointed to see that it's not as bright as my masters descr..."_

_ The Emperor interrupted me with his solid voice, "I don't see the harm in keeping her 'trade' she is a servant, so she will stay one, send her to the cook, he seems like the only one on board to treat her decently while she still gets her work done."_

_ And with that, there was no arguing. But my stomach turned in on itself, until I gained true freedom, I was about to live in constant fear. And not from dinner..._

* * *

The boat suddenly trembled and a hard thump broke my reflections. The stars suddenly became mundane as I struggled to pull myself up and see what had happened. There was a rock. And beyond that... Land.

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**I promise this will get out of the flashback stage... as I said, 116 years is alot to cover... and this is keeping only the important parts...**


	3. Arsonphobia

**I do not own avatar...**

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My fingers curved around the edge of the boat. The old wood sent splinters into my skin, but the pain was ignored as I lifted myself from the bottom of the boat. I knew better to stand, but the constant rocking of the boat as it hurled itself against the waterlogged boulder was so tremulous that even by sitting up I was thrown into the warm water.

Soaking, hungry and weak I crawled along the shallow sandy bottom. Unfortunately, the land I had before spotted was a cliff that reached hundreds of miles vertically with a wall so flat and bare even a healthy ostrich horse wouldn't be able to scour the premises. The water I had fallen into had a cold current running past me and into the open water.

The water came from a river sprouting forth from a narrow crack in the Cliffside. A sliver of an eroded pathway ran adjacent to the crevice, I knew exactly where I was, and there was no mistaking the discretion of such a passage. However, I wondered, what were the chances of me ending up in the Western Air Temple?

Worse were the circumstances. The Temple was long-abandoned and I was in serious need of help and nourishment. The closest thing in all this vast area was either the firenation themselves or their primeval fellowmen both were much too far and unwelcoming.

I couldn't die. It was the worst case scenario if I died. The world could exist without Aang, he is the gap between the spirit world and this world. But, the spirit world would fall to ruin without me, without my mortal life the spirit world is completely in disharmony with itself. My very existence brings balance. And if I died and the spirit world fell thereafter, this world would die as well._  
_

* * *

_Standing on the bow of the ship, the waters foaming against the metal point below me. It would be so easy to just throw myself into that deathly abyss. My heart pounding, my mind struggling to keep my exhausted body from letting go of the railing. The soldiers are coming, the captain, first mate, even the cook. Their hollow footsteps pounding, vibrations closer a quick voice shouting, "Get back here, tart."_

_Death would be sweet compared to the awful bitter consequences of not jumping. Hands clenched to the railing, this was my life against thousands, the good and the bad. Feet on tip toe, I wish they would slip, make it an accident instead of my fault. I had to survive, my nature, my calling._

_"Hurry and stop me," I mumbled under my breath unable to turn and climb over the railing. I was pleading for them to save, beat, burn and ravish me rather than waste another minute deciding whether to jump or not. I knew what I wanted, but I also knew what had to be done. There was no stopping myself, tears falling into the churning water below and disappearing as soon as they left my sights._

_I wish._

_A rough fire-hot hand grabbed my wrist. My skin prickled and turned raw as the heat stunned the muscle beneath. I slipped. My head banged into the metal railing as the newly established link whip-lashed me against the side of the ship. A second hand grabbed my arm and although I was light from being half-starved to death they took some time in pulling me back up. My shoulder nearly dislocated._

_They didn't pity my attempted suicide either. I was punished severely._

* * *

I found myself resting at the beginning of the path, just out of tide's reach. I pulled up my long sleeves. The soaked cloth was beginning to chill my already shivering body. The scars looked like a rare skin disease. They had been healing for a long time now. Blotches of pink and orange were burns and covered almost my entire forearms. White lines crisscrossed over the tops of my arms, from knives and swords. I didn't remember where I had gotten each of them, there were so many. Looking at them now with a faint moonlight only shows how little concern I have for them. And this was just my arms.

Scars are part of the past and only a remembrance of the pain my body has endured for the past century. It is nothing compared to the inner turmoil of dealing with how I got them.

* * *

_This was like any other twisted man I'd been taken by. Eyes burning orange with unresisting lust, mouth hanging open like a panting wolf-bat. Just the very picture of a woman in their heads seems to make their blood boil. The force of his muscles against mine is hardly worth comparison. No matter how many time's I've gone through it I can never just go through it. I struggle, I do everything I can to fight back. Empty stomach, weak and beaten limbs. I would plead, but it only excites them more. Instead I either stay silent or bore them with my reasoning._

_Each of those nights I've awakened with some scar or new pain in my flesh and mind. That morning I was probably still cradled in his arms, his skin still hot, but not as unbearable as when he was conscious._

* * *

I wish I had warmth right now. Even though I have a phobia of fire (why wouldn't I?), it would be comforting if I shut my eyes really tight. Just a gentle touch of life-giving heat would soothe my cold and tired soul.

* * *

**For those of you wondering...**

**Arsonphobia fear of fire**

And I apologize for my tenses, I do really hate editing and I don't do things right when I write them without revision. (With this being my first fanfic I'm really just trying to get through a whole story without giving up.)


	4. The Western Air Temple

**UPDATED! (Scroll down for pt 2)**

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The joints in my fingers creaked. My hands shook. My knees wobbled. I had gone half blind as well. I closed my eyes to focus on the feeling of the sheer rock wall beside me. My feet inched along the narrow pathway which had begun to ascend the cliff by a gradual increase.

The worse part of my current state was the bitter cold that had settled beneath my skin and straight into my heart's driving force. My blood decreased in temperature by single degrees. My wet clothes were now stiffly frozen to my body. The chill wind threatened to freeze me to death rather than knock me into the perilous water below. (The river had narrowed more and was full of rapids now.)

My stomach growled, but I could not feel the pain. I was numb everywhere, but the tips of my fingers which tingled painfully. My head was so saturated with the thoughts of the cold I couldn't even realize the headache I'd gotten throughout the night had increased to a feverous (and cold) level.

The texture of the wall changed. I didn't dare stop in fear of collapsing, but I traced my fingers across the horizontal and vertical lines to assure myself that this was a wall of bricks. I squinted my dry eyes and the scene before me was incredibly blurry but I was still able to recognize by the dim dawn light upside down buildings. I had made it to the Western Air Temple. It was abandoned, now what was I supposed to do?

Fate couldn't exist, not after everything I had gone through. Fate wouldn't just let me die alone without fulfilling my purpose. I still needed to live until the avatar no longer needed my services. The next White Lotus wouldn't be able to help as a baby, and through some strange circle, the failure of the avatar would result in the death of all things.

Sometimes I didn't understand it myself, especially when I had thawed just the slightest bit to feel the powerful throb in my head of a terrible migraine. I have fainted before, in fact I have fainted so often and learned so much of the spirit that I can stay relatively awake before I completely slip into that dark abyss. With these brief moments of a sickening rush, knowing that I was about to hit the ground...

I heard a voice, "Who are you...?"

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**UPDATED Pt 2!!**

**Don't try to work out the details...**

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I was awake, my mind was jumping from one random idea to another as if I were still dreaming. My body was stiff from the ever increasing freeze that had settled while I failed to keep my blood warm by moving. My insides had turned off my inner thermometer, not enough energy to fuel my body's heating system. With frosty vision I opened my eyes and my near-blindness could only tell there was a roaring fire beside me, however I could feel none of its heat.

"Toph, make a wall on the other side of the fire to direct the heat to her," A young girl's voice ordered with concern.  
"What's wrong with her Katara? Can't your magic water do anything to help?"  
"No Sokka, her system is shutting down on its own, if I really had magic water then she might make it, but she has been next to that fire for six hours and her skin seems even colder, there is nothing I can do."  
"I don't know why, but I feel like I can help..."  
"Aang, go back to training, you only have till the end of summer, remember?"  
"We're taking a break, I'm curious as well."  
"Zuko, you have helped plenty, but it seems none of our efforts are helping her."  
"I'm sorry to say this, but I think this is one life that none of us can save."  
"No! There has to be something, if we have four masters and an avatar with us there should be something we can do. If we can't help her we might as well say that defeating the firelord is impossible!"

I could hear everything they were saying, but it seemed as if this was a dream. Toph, Katara, Sokka, Aang...  
Zuko?  
I struggled to turn my head so I could look in the opposite direction where the voices were coming from. My vision was blurry and I couldn't tell rock from person except for Katara whose blue eyes brightened as she saw me stir.

"Food," I tried to speak, but I could only move my lips and make an inaudible whisper.  
"What?" Katara asked.  
"She said food, she wants food," Toph muttered.  
I closed my eyes. I needed to conserve my energy to eat.  
"Eww what's that Katara? It looks like something from the swamp!"  
"It's your bread and jerky that you were going to eat for lunch."  
"But you mashed it up, you ruined it!"  
"I'm sure she could use it more than you, tough guy."

I ate the food. Taste wasn't an issue since it seemed like the only sense left was my hearing. I swallowed hard and my stomach roared back to life as if it was a furnace with a new batch of wood. I fell asleep again.

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**This would have come sooner, but the document wouldn't load! Grrrr... also yay I finally read the OBVIOUS little shift + enter note at the bottom... (smacks self in head). Oh well... and on goes life...**


	5. Two Halves of One Whole

**For the sake of my sanity and the true identity of the show, there needs to be a little bit of humor...

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**

I was finally awake. My time spent sleeping and eating and whatever Katara did to help was forgotten. I thought it all has a dream, but this morning I finally awoke and my world was suddenly real. It was as if I had slept for but a night, but I knew by my horrible stench that I had been recovering for at least a few days. I was indeed smelly and gross and all I wanted to do for the moment was brush my teeth. I sat up from my bed, I was alone except for the threatening fire that was still burning fiercely. (geeze that would take a lot of wood). I rolled away from the flames while still tucked in my blanket.

I kicked my legs and arms free, wrapped the cloth around my shoulders and tried to stand. My legs were shaking and knees wobbling, but I was able to do it. I felt like my age, 116 years old. I am cold, in fact I cannot remember not being cold since I got off that little boat. The fire still seemed uninviting to me. I just needed a little movement and excersize and I would be warm and toasty all on my own in no time.

Looking around the patio that I had been nestled on made me think twice about what I had heard the few days before. There was nothing out on this wide ledge except for the large fire pit I had recently scurried away from. The hallucination of hearing the avatar and his friends (I was completely ruling out the very notion of a firebender) must have been created to cope with the situation, but then who had helped me these past few days? I tightened my grasp on the blanket's edge and wobbled left to right as I headed for the inner chambers of the Temple. Things didn't seem right I was getting a bad feeling about the place. Perhaps I was simply paranoid or the cold was getting to me.

"Hello?" I spoke with my voice nearly cracking under usage. The word echoed down the corridor I was in. My muscles were buzzing and I could feel the adrenaline already being pumped into my system. Why was I so afraid, there was no one here. I began to panic; my breath shortened, my pace quickened until I was gasping for air while I sprinted down the hallway. I recognized where I was, at the next corner was my room, my old room which I had made my own with secret passageway and multiple hidden compartments. There were all sorts of things I had collected and hidden in there, maybe the familiarity would calm me down. Maybe if I could just make it into that room and sit on whatever was left of my rug then I could think things through. I needed to let peace settle back, I was a tolerant and calm person, I was never afraid, I was never scared, not anymore...

I flung the door open and tripped on the immediate stairs that led into my room. I finally regained composure after panting on the floor for a few minutes. I felt sure I had recovered from my fear, I was safe, it was absurd to ever think that I was in any danger after all I was in an air temple it wasn't as if anyone but an airbender would want to live here. There was nothing to worry about...

Why were there duel broadswords hanging on my wall?

I jumped up pin-straight and began backtracking out of my room. If there was someone here, there would be no use of the secret passage way it would have been found out already. I stopped at the bottom step out of the room. Cautiously, I looked around and seeing myself alone thought this over. I knew how to handle broadswords. There was a potential threat in the vicinity. Put two and two together and I was just walking away from my possible only hope of safety. I quickly retrieved the blades and headed back into the hallway. Armed and ready I headed for the surface. If I could just make it to the woods I could survive from there, live long enough until destiny would stop playing these games with me and actually put me to use. Then after over a century of wanting to kill myself I would finally be allowed to die.

How sweet of destiny to ignore me,  
How sweet of fate to take me.

The back staircase was hardly used even when the temple was bustling with activity. Now, grown over with cobwebs and infested with little vermin it looked hardly passable. However, there was no other way for me to get out, limited supplies and being unable to airbend was definitely a con in my situation.

Maybe, just maybe, whoever had been so seemingly hospitable to me was actually on the good side. Maybe it was even the avatar and his friends, that would solve all my current and most of my past problems in a pinch. I could beat the living daylights out of Aang and teach him all about the spirit world. That would be like hitting two birds with one stone.

Hmm... and about the broadswords... maybe Sokka actually learned how to sword fight in these past few weeks. That was a definite possibility.

**

* * *

****Oh the Irony!**


	6. Anger and Fear

1Walking around the quiet corridors of the Western Air Temple gave the area a haunted feeling. Every creak and sound of the wind made me jump until I had convinced myself that there was no one and I had simply been saved by a good spirit. I let down my guard, setting the duel swords at my sides as I laid down on a fallen pillar.

The stone was cold and hard, but to me it seemed quite comfortable. I relaxed and thought of what to do next.

"AHHHHHH!"

My reaction to the yell made me fall off my perch and I looked up just in time to see a flash of orange falling down past the temple and down into the gorge. I sprinted forward and stood at the edge where the patio fell away to air. The figure I had seen falling was hanging on a stone ledge. He pulled himself up and sat on the narrow shelf breathing heavily.

Bald kid, arrow tattoos. His grey eyes stopped looking down to the water below and focused on me. I was standing in the dark shadows, no doubt my white hair and clothing made me stick out like a sore thumb.

But I wasn't afraid, it was an airbender, it was the avatar, it was Aang. I wasn't afraid because I was pissed off, this kid caused me unimaginable pain and now I was going to repay the favor. One hundred years and I could finally have my revenge. I wouldn't kill him of course, unless I couldn't control this anger. This anger which I had repressed my whole life. This anger which had just bubbled over into a volcano of hatred.

"Aang, get your air-whipped butt over here!"

"Huh?"

"You heard me, now!"

As he jumped across the narrow valley with ease, each second he came closer, each inch that was shaved off between us, a pound of adrenaline was pumped into my system. My muscles remembered every fighting lesson I had learned in the past few decades. My mind became clear except for the anger I felt. My being felt lighter, stronger and ready to take him down. Even if he was the avatar, I had been training for this moment over a century.

I turned as he landed a few feet away from me. I balanced on the balls of my feet and the instant my eyes saw him so close I sprinted forward instinctively.

He dodged as I punched, but my knuckles still grazed the tip of his nose. His footwork was fast and he was already trying to get behind me to evade my attacks, I pivoted off my left foot and steadied myself with my right so I could smoothly send another set of punches at him. He sent a gust of wind to move my first fist and then ducked to avoid the second. As he was crouching I unbalanced myself on purpose in order to kick him.

He wasn't ready for the attack and my foot made contact with one of his bent knees. Aang fell flat down onto the ground I jumped while unbalanced to land steadily where Aang's chest was a moment ago. He rolled on the ground to avoid the blow.

"What are you doing?" He said after he had gotten up and was backing away.

I ran for him and he turned tail and jumped over the fallen pillar I had been lying on. I followed, but as I passed over the stone I made sure to grab the pair of swords I had left behind.

Aang turned around again his eyes wide as he stood still. I was walking slowly toward him, my intense hatred burning out my eyes. Handles tightly clenched in my grip I sprinted forward again.

The avatar ran for it, even if I was attacking him he was still true to his peaceful ways. He was only avoiding me, what would he accomplish, there was nothing that could stop me now.

He turned again and I recognized his movements, it was sharp, rigid, strong, he was pulling the stones beneath my feet. Without looking down I turned on my heel and pushed off the ground backwards. An instant later the floor I'd just been on moved up about ten feet, part of which opened the nearby fountain and sent water spilling onto the floor. I wasn't letting this chance slip me, I turned back onto my other foot while rearing my arm back and releasing the weapon in that hand. The blade was headed in a straight line for Aang who only noticed it in time to let his jaw drop and put his hands pitifully up in a weak defense.

A sheet of water rose just as the sword passed through it, Aang had been waterbending at that last second. It caught the handle as it froze, but it didn't turn to ice fast enough. The weapon broke through, spinning now that it had been intercepted and the blade hit him square on the head broadside. The boy fell backward, eyes closed as the fresh sheet of ice melted quickly back into water form.

He didn't have a scratch on him. Not even from the flat side of the sword. He was unconscious, sweetly in a peaceful sleep. I moved forward, treading quietly in the small layer of water. I stopped and raised the second sword in my hand. My body temperature was cold, as cold as the anger I'd been brewing, there was only one thing left in my thoughts to do, only one thing I wanted to do, more than killing myself. But I hesitated as the cold encased my whole being, my adrenaline became a stand still. I wanted it to be Katara, using her waterbending to freeze me before that final blow, I wanted it to be me passing out from fatigue or hunger. I wanted it to be anything than what I knew it was. That feeling when I knew that a source of heat was nearby, my body stopped itself from creating heat so that I wouldn't be burned when the fire came. A firebender was close.

A hand slipped around my wrist, the sword fell harmlessly from my collapsing fingers. My whole thoughts were focused on that incredible heat above my hand, the strength in the fingers imprisoning me. The sharp sense of fear that had replaced my dull anger. It couldn't be, my delirious mind had been right all along, the Avatar along with all his friends and Prince Zuko, they were all here. Even the son of the firelord.


	7. Forget the Tea

_The White Lotus Society was in perfect condition. My servants and protectors were incredibly trustworthy. At that particular moment I had a handful of earth benders and couple of water benders at my beck and call. Of these who remained in my household all were female. No matter how devoted my male servants were I charged them to live outside my dwelling. Also in my staff was a chef who knew how to make all my food cold and still tasty. There were three advisors who watched over all my affairs. There was a gardener for the greenhouse and three maids. This made 16 members of my household including me. My building was located at the edge of the upper ring and disguised as a convent._

"_Lo?" Adria, one of my maids asked after knocking on my door.  
_"_Come in," I answered while turning in my chair to face the only entrance to my room. I was thinking that she was coming to petition me for something about the house or was calling me for a meeting with my advisors. I was far from what I was expecting.  
__The door hesitantly opened and standing next to Adria was a middle-aged man with a round belly. He was dressed in earth kingdom clothing, but that didn't fool me, dim orange eyes were watching carefully underneath bushy grey eyebrows. His hair was the same color and was receding from his forehead. He was rubbing his full beard with a large hand.  
_"_You have a visitor," Adria said cautiously. The brown-haired woman looked nervous as if I would punish her for bringing my guest straight to my door. Even if she had been so foolish I wouldn't punish her, it was hardly a crime, besides this was one that I could trust. I'm sure Adria had already went through the motions of checking his status before letting him get so close to me.  
_"_Iroh," I said while standing up. I wasn't scared or nervous, but I could feel my body temperature drop the instant the door had opened. I kept my eyes focused on the man and addressed Adria, "It's alright, send him to the parlor and I'll be there soon."  
_"_I'm sorry Lo, but this is urgent," Iroh said without a hint of sarcasm to his voice. I tensed. Anything that was rushed with Iroh was a matter of importance.  
_"_Adria, would you be so kind as to bring us some tea," I nodded to the woman who curtsied and shut the door behind Iroh.  
_"_What brings you to my doorstep?" I said while we both sat down across an empty pai sho table.  
_"_I have recently acquired my own tea shop in the Upper ring; it's called the Jasmine Dragon."  
_"_How does this concern me?"  
_"_My nephew, he has been captured by his sister..."  
_"_Iroh, how does this concern me?" I repeated with frustration in my voice.  
_"_Believe me, it is for good cause, just listen," Iroh said, "Zuko has found the good inside himself and he is about to be faced with the most difficult decision of his life. I believe that despite my hope he will choose to follow Azula and her plan. But I must still try. What I'm telling you is that if you don't hear from me after today, then you are in great danger. The soldiers who were ready to attack during the drill threat are still ready to enter the city and take hold of all its citizens. Including you. There is a great chance that you will be captured by the firenation. I advise that you leave the city tomorrow if you do not hear from me."  
_"_And what if the firenation is already slaughtering those who are trying to escape?"  
_"_Just try to get out Lo, you know how important you are, there are passages underground that can take you safely from the city, just be prepared."  
I was surprised by his news, Zuko, Azula. I knew the avatar was in the city, but I thought I had more time to talk to him. And now I would loose my chance for another century. Iroh and I both stood.  
_"_I have to go save my nephew now," Iroh bowed humbly.  
_"_It's a lost cause, Iroh, just because he has found the good inside himself doesn't mean he has gotten rid of the darkness in his heart."  
Iroh sighed as he opened the door to leave. Adria was there with the tea I had asked for. Iroh bowed to the servant and apologized for leaving so quickly._  
"_Forget the tea Adria, warn the household of a possible overthrow of Ba Sing Se in affect tonight_."

_It was a shame really that Zuko betrayed his uncle. I hadn't expected the firenation soldiers to arrive so quickly. It took nearly twelve hours for me to escape and even then I was the only one to make it. My servants had been dutifully right up to the point where it was between their lives or mine. They were all left under surveillance of the firenation while I walked away unscathed except for some bruises and cuts and a dirty dress. That was when I had stumbled upon the rebellion underground who were slowly being weeded out by the Dai Lee. I made it out of the city at least alive._

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**If you haven't noticed yet, this whole chapter was supposed to be flashback. The encounter with Zuko was too difficult for me to take on yet. But I promise next chapter so stay tuned!**


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